Slip joint of endotracheal tube

Abstract

A slip joint of an endotracheal tube comprising a slip joint body and a ring adaptor into which the slip joint body is insertable in close contact, the slip joint body being provided in its side wall with a L-slot having an upper open end, a width capable of passing a catheter to be used and a semicircular portion at the other end, the ring adaptor being provided in its side wall with an inverted L-slot having an upper or lower open end, the same width as that of the L-slot of the slip joint body and at the other end a semicircular portion of the same size as that of the semicircular portion in the L-slot of the slip joint body, and the ring adaptor being rotatable around the side wall of the slip joint body such that the semicircular portions in the L-slot and the inverted L-slot form a circular hole which has a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the catheter to be used and in which the catheter is hermetically inserted. By the use of this slip joint, there can be conducted, while supplying sufficient oxygen to the lung, the suction of secretions in the trachea and bronchi, determination of the position of the tip of a catheter inserted into the bronchi by a sound signal sent forth from the tip, determination of the pathological condition in the thorax by a sound signal sent forth from the tip of a catheter inserted in the bronchi, and collection of gas from the lung.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A slip joint of an endotracheal tube or a tracheostomy cannula comprising a slip joint body having opposing open ends and a passageway therebetween, means on one of said open ends adapted to be connected to an endotracheal tube or to a tracheostomy cannula, means on the other of said open ends adapted to be connected to a breathing gas source, said body being provided in its side wall with a L-slot having a first leg disposed in the direction of said passageway, said first leg having an upper open end terminating in said other of said open ends of said slip joint body and also having a width capable of passing a catheter therethrough to be used, and the other leg of said L-slot terminating in a semicircle slightly smaller than a semicircle of the cross section of a catheter to be used, and   a ring adaptor slidably mounted around the side wall of said slip joint body in close contact therewith, said adaptor having opposing open ends and being provided in its side wall with an L-slot having a first leg disposed to align with the other leg of said L-shaped slot in said slip joint body, said first leg having an open end terminating in one of said opposing open ends of said ring adaptor and having the same width as the first leg of the L-slot of said slip joint body, the other leg of said L-slot in said ring adaptor being disposed to align with the other leg of said L-slot in said slip joint body and terminating in a semicircle having the same size as the semicircle at the end portion of the L-slot of said slip joint body, the other leg of said L-slot in said ring adaptor extending laterally from the first leg in a direction opposite to the direction in which the other leg of the L-slot in said slip joint body extends from its first leg, and said ring adaptor being movable around the side wall of said slip joint body such that the semicircular end portion of the L-slot in the slip joint body and the semicircular end portion of the inverted L-slot in the ring adaptor form a circular hole which has a diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the catheter to be used and in which the catheter can be inserted and hermetically sealed.   
     
     
       2. The slip joint of claim 1, wherein the semicircular portions in said slip joint body and ring adaptor are inclined towards said one of said open ends of said slip joint body. 
     
     
       3. The slip joint of claim 1 or 2, wherein each L-slot of said slip joint body and ring adaptor also includes a third leg extending laterally from said first leg and in the opposite direction from said second leg, said third legs having a different width from that of said second legs and further terminate in a semicircle having a different size from the semicircle in said second legs whereby a catheter having a diameter different than the catheter which can be sealed in the second legs could be hermetically sealed in the third legs. 
     
     
       4. The slip joint of claim 1, wherein said slip joint body is provided with a lock means for locking the ring adaptor at a desired position.